The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations is celebrating the National Day for Women Living with HIV with the launch of a substantial women-specific HIV resource, Living Well: Women with HIV.
Women make up about 10% of people living with HIV in Australia, and gender differences can significantly impact the progression of HIV infection, how HIV is best treated and the range of side effects people experience. There remains a strong demand for women-specific resources to supplement.
“Positive women are clear,” said Rob Lake, AFAO Executive Director. “They need information tailored to their experience of living with this virus. This resource is designed to deliver just that.
Living Well: Women with HIV offers wide ranging information about living with HIV, disclosing HIV status, having sex, taking treatment, caring for your body, having children, keeping well and getting support. It addresses many of the specific issues faced by women with HIV including increased risk of thrush, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), human papillomavirus (HPV), cervical cancer and osteoporosis. The resource also addresses issues associated with pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding.
Living Well is based on an earlier resource, Treat Yourself Right, which has received international accolades. Described as ‘brilliant’ by the International Council of Women, the booklet has been adapted by New Zealand’s Positive Women who produced a localised version.
Having undergone a major makeover, Living Well: Women with HIV reflects some of the ways the world of positive women has changed during the last few years. The new title reflects the reach of the internet, “We wanted a title that was intuitive and pragmatic — something that would show up quickly on any search,” Rob Lake said. “The title also recognises the reality that many women with HIV are living great lives, while treatments have provided a sense of long term optimism.”
Development of Living Well benefited enormously from the input of many positive women but particularly Femfatales (NAPWHA’s National Network of Women living with HIV). A key input was advocacy to ensure the resource is available as a booklet as well as a website given limited computer literacy and computer ownership among some in the target group.
“Working with Femfatales to develop the resource was vital,” said Rob Lake. “Basically, the resource would not have been as good without them.”
“Living Well: Women with HIV is one of only a few resources written specifically for HIV-positive women in the Australian context,” said Rob Lake. “It’s great to be able to launch it on this day, the 9th of March 2016: the National Day for Women Living with HIV”.
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Living Well Website URL: http://www.womenlivingwell.org.au/
A limited number of hard copies of the booklet are available from local AIDS Councils and PLHIV Organisations.
Enquiries: Dr Bridget Haire, AFAO President – 0416 960 885
Darryl O’Donnell, AFAO Executive Director – 0404 857 413
